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46/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 46 out of 100. Risk factors

Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies

Plain-language summary

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) include α-linolenic acid (ALA; 18:3 ω-3), stearidonic acid (SDA; 18:4 ω-3), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5 ω-3), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA; 22:5 ω-3), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6 ω-3). In the past few decades, many epidemiological studies have been conducted on the myriad health benefits of omega-3 PUFAs. In this review, we summarized the structural features, properties, dietary sources, metabolism, and bioavailability of omega-3 PUFAs and their effects on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, depression, visual and neurological development, and maternal and child health. Even though many health benefits of omega-3 PUFAs have been reported in the literature, there are also some controversies about their efficacy and certain benefits to human health.

Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris

APA 7th

Shahidi, F., & Ambigaipalan, P. (2018). Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Their Health Benefits. Annual review of food science and technology. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-food-111317-095850

Vancouver

Shahidi F, Ambigaipalan P. Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Their Health Benefits. Annual review of food science and technology. 2018. doi:10.1146/annurev-food-111317-095850. PMID: 29350557.

BibTeX

@article{shahidi2018-29350557,
  author  = {Shahidi, F. and Ambigaipalan, P.},
  title   = {{Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Their Health Benefits}},
  journal = {Annual review of food science and technology},
  year    = {2018},
  doi     = {10.1146/annurev-food-111317-095850},
  pmid    = {29350557},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-food-111317-095850}
}

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How to read this study

Design: this is a narrative review. It summarises a field without a fixed search method, so it shows how authors read the evidence rather than measuring it. Use it to find the primary studies, not as a result in itself.
Size: the record gives no participant count. Look for one in the original before trusting a pattern.
Effect: the record gives no effect size, so the summary above cannot say how large any difference was.

What the evidence grade means here

This page is graded low. alzhub.org assigns the grade automatically from keywords in the abstract, not from reading the paper. Low means the abstract matched neither pattern. It is the default label, and it does not mean the work is poor; many sound lab and imaging papers land here. It can add at most 5 of the 100 points in the study score, and it is a label about design, not a verdict on whether the findings are true.

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Key findings

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) include α-linolenic acid (ALA; 18:3 ω-3), stearidonic acid (SDA; 18:4 ω-3), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5 ω-3), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA; 22:5 ω-3), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6 ω-3).
In the past few decades, many epidemiological studies have been conducted on the myriad health benefits of omega-3 PUFAs.
In this review, we summarized the structural features, properties, dietary sources, metabolism, and bioavailability of omega-3 PUFAs and their effects on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, depression, visual and neurological development, and maternal and child health.
Even though many health benefits of omega-3 PUFAs have been reported in the literature, there are also some controversies about their efficacy and certain benefits to human health.

Why it matters

This review summarizes omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and their reported effects on many conditions including Alzheimer's disease and dementia. It notes that controversies exist about their efficacy and certain benefits to human health.

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Study details

Evidence strengthLow

How this study scored 46/100

Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	7 / 10	Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Annual review of food science and technology)
Journal's citation record	1 / 4	Annual Review of Food Science and Technology: journal h-index 124 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	0 / 12	No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Strength of evidence	1 / 5	Rated “low” in our summary
Peer-review validation	10 / 10	Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal.
How recent	2 / 5	2018 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	0 / 4	Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Effect reported	0 / 3	No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Studied in people	0 / 3	Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Randomized / blinded	0 / 2	No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Times cited	7 / 7	Cited 1,374 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	5 / 5	137.4 citations a year over 10 year(s) since 2018
Impact for its field and year	4 / 6	Cited 17.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	1 / 6	Cited by 2 other studies in this library
Still being cited	4 / 4	Cited 595 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	2 / 4	Last-listed author Priyatharini Ambigaipalan: h-index 21 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	0 / 3	Memorial University of Newfoundland: institution h-index 477 (OpenAlex)
Multicenter collaboration	0 / 3	OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete)
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 29350557)
Free to read	0 / 2	Behind a paywall — scores zero
Total	46 / 100	—

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